Wednesday, October 31, 2012

ACLU FILES LAWSUIT AGAINST DHS AND ICE DEMANDING FOIA TRANSPARENCY

While I was out of the country last week, the ACLU of Georgia and the Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights (GLAHR) filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland
Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The suit seeks public records which they have filed under FOIA or Freedom of Information Act documenting the effects of Georgia’s increasing involvement in immigration
enforcement, including information that will shed light on increasing reports
of racial profiling and police abuse.

The two organizations requested the records over six
months ago and DHS/ICE has not yet released the records.

The records sought in the lawsuit will reveal who is
being targeted for immigration enforcement, and how increased immigration
enforcement by police is impacting public safety and civil rights and may cause abuse under HB87.

Under the Freedom of Information Act, the agency should release the record within 20 days. Six months is certainly excessive under that standard. I will blog on updates when available.